In anticipation of a final takeover, VMware is already starting to reorganize its portfolio. The company is announcing a SASE offering with Symantec, not coincidentally also a member of the Broadcom family.

The announcement was made during VMware Explore, which took place in Barcelona last week. A joint offering would combine VMware’s SD-WAN technology with Symantec’s enterprise cloud in a SASE architecture. The data from the various network points is bundled in the enterprise cloud. According to VMware, this provides more flexibility in managing access on a per-device basis, more visibility into what’s happening on the network, and faster threat blocking.

Future stepsisters

The choice of Symantec as a security partner is no coincidence. Symantec was acquired by Broadcom in 2019. Soon both companies could live under one roof like stepsisters in a newly formed family. To enable collaboration, some changes must be made within the VMware portfolio. Finally, VMware also offers SASE services, which are not much different from what Symantec can add.

One of the names reportedly on the chopping block is Carbon Black. The integration of the security specialist into the overall business has been slower than expected and certainly appears to be stagnating recently. Therefore, Carbon Black is also an obvious component that should be sold after the acquisition is completed.

What now?

That remains a big “if” for now. The acquisition is in its final stages, but there is still a hurdle before the finish line that could be very difficult to overcome. China is being obstructive and refusing to say yes or no, meaning the October 31 deadline has passed without a smoke.

VMware Explore could have been an ideal opportunity to clear up doubts about the acquisition, but circumstances meant the topic could not be mentioned. Broadcom CEO Hock Tan also couldn’t sell more than a marketing pitch. VMware customers are avid fans of the plans: one in five customers is at risk of leaving the company.